Summary: What do you think about the game features revealed in PC Gameplay?

[Ceci n'est pas Snapcase]

Anything you particularly like? Anything you're particularly worried about?

Best things

+ Method of stacked combat, not too complex but still very important in the game. As was said, there will be very few stacks at one time, meaning the few you have will be vital and you will treasure your leaders.

+ Global Investors.

+ Advisor and city screens very clearly laid out; a lot of work has gone into the interface.

+ Trade system, resource allocation. A completely new aspect in the game, really, as the old trade function wasn't worth much at all.

Worst things

- Graphics. Still Alpha-level, but I worry that some of those sameish-looking units will make it unchanged into the game.

- "Culture" has a very tacked-on feel. Not like a real factor at all, just a bunch of random semi-deisrable effects.

What do you think?

[Roman]

Worst Things:

No more than 7 civilizations per game; This is a major dissapointment.

Best Things:

Resource system, armies, nukes, wonder system and just about everything else; This game looks better and better all the time!

[Ilkuul]

quote: Originally posted by Ceci n'est pas Snapcase on 04-27-2001 05:38 PM - "Culture" has a very tacked-on feel. Not like a real factor at all, just a bunch of random semi-deisrable effects.

I don't know why you feel that, Snapcase - unless you've read something in the PCGameplay article that you either haven't mentioned or that I missed. But everything that's been said up to now about culture has given me the impression that it's going to be pretty vital in the game: with a low culture rating, you'll find it hard to maintain a large empire, having to cope with frequent revolts/secessions, etc.; and this will also presumably inhibit economic development. So you're going to have to be pretty balanced on all fronts to do well at Civ3!

[Ceci n'est pas Snapcase]

From the article it seemed this was only a factor with newly conquered cities. Minor effect, Conquering cities cleanly is near-impossible anyway.

[Ralf]

quote: Originally posted by Ilkuul on 04-27-2001 05:55 PM But everything that's been said up to now about culture has given me the impression that it's going to be pretty vital in the game: with a low culture rating, you'll find it hard to maintain a large empire, having to cope with frequent revolts/secessions.

I agree with Ilkuul on this one. Founding/conquering and maintaining a increasingly larger empire shouldnt be "a walk in the park" as it often where in Civ-2. The larger the empire, the more unavoidable it becomes having revolts/secessions (unless investing in culture and administration). Also conquered cities with different cultures & values becomes harder to pacify.
Creating a huge empire should be an increasingly difficult juggle-act challenge - Not a increasingly easy self-evident process.

[This message has been edited by Ralf (edited April 27, 2001).]